Starting in January 2025, the city of Seoul will invest approximately 1.5 billion won to focus all its efforts on monitoring and controlling pinewood nematode disease outbreaks and nearby pine trees.
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▲[Korean Today] Meeting on measures for preemptive control of pinewood nematode disease © Reporter Byun A-rong |
Wood wilt disease is a wilt disease that rapidly kills trees in a short period of time, and once infected, it is a fatal disease that cannot be cured or recovered. There were no cases in Seoul from 2017 to April 2023, but in the past two years, ▲ 12 pine trees in Inreungsan, Cheonggyesan, and Daemosan in Naegok-dong, Seocho-gu (’23-’24) ▲ 3 pine trees in Suraksan in Sanggye-dong, Nowon-gu (’24), for a total of 15 cases.
In order to minimize the damage caused by vectors moving to healthy pine trees, Seoul City conducted preventive tree injections on approximately 290,000 pine trees in risk areas (Dobong-gu, Gangbuk-gu, Jungnang-gu, Gangnam-gu, Gangdong-gu, Songpa-gu, etc.) around the outbreak area (Nowon-gu and Seocho-gu) from May 2023 to December 2024.
Considering that the additional outbreaks of pinewood nematode in 2024 (July in Nowon-gu and August in Seocho-gu) are the times when vectors (such as the northern bearded dragonfly) that transmit pinewood nematode disease emerge as adults, the city of Seoul has judged that there is a high possibility of spread through vectors, and has decided to push forward the ’25 Pinewood Nematode Disease Prevention Tree Injection Project early from the beginning of the year.
In addition, in order to prevent artificial spread, which is one of the causes of damage from pinewood nematode disease, the number of pine tree movement crackdown posts will be expanded from 8 to 11 (increased by 3) in accordance with the “Pinewood Nematode Disease Control Guidelines” to crack down on illegal movement of pine trees. The city requested vigilance as the disease can spread during the process of moving infected trees, such as when they are used for other purposes.
In addition, Seoul City plans to promote eco-friendly pesticide control using only pesticide-free and organic pesticides in major city-managed parks from four locations in 2024 to six locations in 2025 to improve the health of urban forests.
Lee Su-yeon, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Garden and Urban Development Bureau, said, “In 2025, we will proactively respond to prevent the spread of pinewood nematode disease damage through close cooperation with related organizations such as the Korea Forest Service and the Korea Forest Service and thorough surveillance and control measures,” adding, “I ask for the interest and cooperation of related organizations and citizens to protect the valuable gardens and urban forests that everyone enjoys.”
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